INDIANAPOLIS — After his team avoided its second narrow, frustrating loss in four days — after his team survived Oscar Tshiebwe, for all intents and purposes, on this night — Michigan State coach Tom Izzo uttered five words that will send chills down the spine of every coaching staff that has to prepare for Kentucky the rest of the season.
"Oscar," Izzo said, "is not Oscar yet."
Cue "The Twilight Zone" theme music.
That's because Tshiebwe, facing a Michigan State program that prides itself on toughness and physicality, picked up where he left off last season, leading UK in points (22) and rebounds (18) in an 86-77 double-overtime loss.